Foldable table and bench assembly



CL 4, 1966 E. w. CARDY FLDABLE TABLE AND BENCH ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 19, 1965 FIGS.

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United States Patent O 3,276,815 FOLDABLE TABLE AND BENCH ASSEMBLY Ernest William Cardy, 10 Molescroft Park, Beverley, England Filed Jan. 19, 1965, Ser. No. 426,503 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 31, 1964, 4,278/ 64 Claims. (Cl. 297-159) This invention relates to a folding table top and two bench assembly which when not in use, may be folded flat against a wall.

An object of the invention is to provide .a table top and two bench assembly with supporting leg structure connected respectively to the table top and to the two benches such that in operative position such leg structure supports both the table top and the two benches at the free end thereof. Y

Bey, the invention consists of an arrangement of two bench members located at opposite sides of a table member. The two bench members 'and the table member are hngedly interconnected for pivotal movement in unison between a horizontal position and a vertical position. The upper surfaces of the bench members and the table member, when in the horizontal position, become coplanar when elevated to the vertical position. At one end, the bench members and the table member are pivotally connected to ixed supporting means. The free end portions are pivotally interconnected by two separate leg members. Each leg member is formed of an elongated continuous length of rigid material such as a metallic rod or tubing. Each leg member includes a horizontal reach which is engageable with a floor to support one end of the assembly when in use with both bench members and the table member in their respective horizontal positions. Upwardly extending from the ends of the horizontal reach of each leg member are two vertical reaches, namely a shorter reach which is connected to a free end portion of one of the bench members and a longer vertical reach which is connected to a free end portion of the table member. The continuous length of material which forms each leg portion has rounded corners and terminates in two horizontally directed end portions which are continuations of the vertical reaches and which are pivotally connected to the bench members and to the table member. The end portion of each shorter vertical reach is connected to one of the bench members and end portions of the longer vertical reaches are both connected to the table member.

To enable the invention to be clearly understood and readily carried into effect a preferred embodiment thereof is, by way of example, hereinafter more fully described with reference to the illustrations in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is an elevational view of a table and two bench assembly with the table and two bench members in their vertical positions;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembly of FIG. l with the table and bench members in their horizontal positions;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2 in its horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2.

In the drawings, in which like parts are identied by like reference numerals, the two benches are substantially the same -length as the table and are movable between a vertical position in which their operative upper surfaces are coplanar and an operative horizontal position in which the bench members `are in parallel spaced relationship with respect to the table member by virtue of pivotal connection to a leg member or structure at one end and to 3,276,815 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 another fixed leg structure or to a wall or other vertically extending xed supporting means at the other end.

FIGS. l, 2 and 3 show -a table and two bench assembly with metal rod or tube leg members having the advantage of providing space for the free entry of the legs of a person entering upon or leaving either of the two bench members.

As shown in the drawing, the assembly comprises a table member 11 and two bench members 12 and 13. Two leg members -14 and 15 are connected to the table member 11 and bench members 12 and 13 for movement in unison between a horizontal position as shown in FIG. 2 and a vertical position as shown :in FIG. 1. Each leg member is formed of a continuous length of metal rod or tubing and comprises a horizontal reach 16 which engages a floor 17 when the assembly is in its horizontal position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Extending upwardly from each end of each horizontal reach 16, there is a shorter vertical reach 18 and a longer vertical reach 19.

Each continuous length of rod or tubing terminates in two horizontal directed end portions 20 and 21 each of which is .a continuation of one of the vertical reaches 18 and 19, respectively. As shown, each of the end portions 20 is directed toward the other end portion 21. The two horizontal end portions 21 are axially aligned and connected by straps 22 to .the underside of table member 11 at the free end portion thereof for pivotal movement about a Iiirst horizontal axis 23. The end portions 20 which are continuations of the shorter vertical reaches 18 are axially aligned and are connected by straps 24 and 25 to the undersides of bench members 12 and 13, respectively, at the free end portions thereof -for pivotal movement about a second horizontal axis 26.

The end portions of the table member 111 and lbench members 12 and .13 which are remote from the -free end portions described above are pivotalfly connected by straps 27 and 28, respectively, to tixed supporting means such as a wall 29 Ifor pivotal movement about .a third pivotal axis 30 and a fourth pivotal axis 31.

As illustrated, the fixed supporting means further comprises two leg members 32 `and 33 which are similar in all respects to the leg members 14 and 15 described above. Straps 34 connect the fixed leg members 32 and 33 to the table member 11 for pivotal movement about the third axis 30 and straps 27, 28 connect the tixed leg members 32 and 33 to the bench members 12 and 13 for pivotal movement about the fourth axis 31. A baseboard 36 adjacent to the floor 17 'provides spacing whereby the surfaces of the table -member 11 and bench members 12 and 13, which are upper surfaces in FIGS. 2 and 3, are caused to become coplanar vertical surfaces as illustrated in FIG. 1. The -ixed leg member 32 is shown secured to baseboard 36 by straps 37 and 38 and to wall 29 by blocks 39 and straps 40. Although it is not illustrated, .the other iixed leg member 33 may be likewise secured to baseboard 36 and wall 29, if desired. The leg members 14, 15 are connected together by connecting pieces 41 and the tixed leg members 32 and 33 are interconnected by connecting pieces 42.

While I have shown and described what I believe to vbe the best embodiments of my invention, it w-ill be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modilcations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as detined inthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ifolding bench and table assembly movable beltween horizontal and vertical positions, said assembly comprising: an elongated table member; a pair 0f elongated bench members disposed in spaced parallel relationship at opposite sides of said table member; two leg members eachy connecting ya freeY end portion of one of saidbench members to a free end portion of said table member, each leg member being formed by a continuous length of rigid Amaterial consisting of a lower horizontal reach for engagement with a lloor, a shorter vertical reach extending upwardly from one end of said horizontal reach and a longer vertical reach extending upwardly from the other end of said horizontal reach, said length of material terminating in two horizontally directed terminations; means connecting said terminations of both leg members which are terminations of their longer reaches to a free end portion of said table member in axialV alignment for pivotal movement about a common horizontal -rst axis; means connecting the termination of one of said leg members which is a termination of its shorter vertical reach to a free end portion of one of said bench members for pivotal movement about a horizontal secondaxisV parallel to and spaced below said rst axis; means connecting the termin'ationiof the other leg member w-hich is a termination of its shortervertical reach to a free end portion of the, other bench member for pivotal move-Y ment about said second axis; means connecting the end portion of said table member which is remote from said free endvportion to xed supporting means for pivotal movement about `a third axis which is parallel to said rst axis and, with said table mem-ber in its horizontal position, lies in a common horizontal plane therewith; and means connecting the end portions of both'of said bench members which are remote from said free end portions to said xed supporting means for pivotal movement about a fourth axis which is parallel to said second axis and, with said bench members in their horizontal positions, lies in a common horizontal plane therewith, said four Iaxes being so positioned that said bench and VVtable members are movable in unison between said horizontal and vertical positions, the surfaces of said bench and table members which are upper surfaces when in said horizontal position `being substantially vertically coplanar when said bench and table members are in said vertical position.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said terminations of each of said leg members is a horizontally directed continuation of said length of materiell 3. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said continuous length of rigid material is tubular.

4. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein said xed supporting means comprises a vertical wall.

5. An assembly according to claim 3, wherein said tubing is -continuous intermediate its ends and in which said terminations are horizontally directedcontinuations thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner Y UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 23,996 5/1955V Sieminsk 108-48 v2,117,499 5/1938` Polson 297-147 X 2,452,169 10/ 1948 l Wells 297-159 2,514,319 7/ 1950 Erickson 297-147 2,690,210 9/ 1954 Holick 297-159 2,748,837 6/ 1956 Beller 297-159 2,949,154 8/ 1960 Homme 297-147 3,057,670 8/ 1962 Russo 108-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 323,862 10/ 1905 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

I. T. MCCALL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FOLDING BENCH AND TABLE ASSEMBLY MOVABLE BETWEEN HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL POSITIONS, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED TABLE MEMBER; A PAIR OF ELONGATED BENCH MEMBERS DISPOSED IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TABLE MEMBER; TWO LEG MEMBERS EACH CONNECTING A FREE END PORTION OF ONE OF SAID BENCH MEMBERS TO A FREE END PORTION OF SAID TABLE MEMBER, EACH LEG MEMBER BEING FORMED BY A CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF RIGID MATERIAL CONSISTING OF A LOWER HORIZONTAL REACH FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A FLOOR, A SHORTER VERTICAL REACH EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM ONE END OF SAID HORIZONTAL REACH AND A LONGER VERTICAL REACH EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID HORIZONTAL REACH, SAID LENGTH OF MATERIAL TERMINATING IN TWO HORIZONTALLY DIRECTED TERMINATIONS; MEANS CONNECTING SAID TERMINATIONS OF BOTH LEG MEMBERS WHICH ARE TERMINATIONS OF THEIR LONGER REACHES TO A FREE END PORTION OF SAID TABLE MEMBER IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A COMMON HORIZONTAL FIRST AXIS; MEANS CONNECTING THE TERMINATION OF ONE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS WHICH IS A TERMINATION OF ITS SHORTER VERTICAL REACH TO A FREE END PORTION OF ONE OF SAID BENCH MEMBERS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL SECOND AXIS PARALLEL TO AND SPACED BELOW SAID FIRST AXIS; MEANS CONNECTING THE TERMINATION OF THE OTHER LEG MEMBER WHICH IS A TERMINATION OF ITS SHORTER VERTICAL REACH TO A FREE ENDPORTION OF THE OTHER BENCH MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS; MEANS CONNECTING THE END PORTION OF SAID TABLE MEMBER WHICH IS REMOTE FROM SAID FREE END PORTION TO FIXED SUPPORTING MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A THIRD AXIS WHICH IS A PARALLEL TO SAID FIRST AXIS AND, WITH SAID TABLE MEMBER IN ITS HORIZONTAL POSITION, LIES IN A COMMON HORIZONTAL PLANE THEREWITH; AND MEANS CONNECTING THE END PORTIONS OF BOTH OF SAID BENCH MEMBERS WHICH ARE REMOTE FROM SAID FREE END PORTIONS OF SAID FIXED SUPPORTING MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A FOURTH AXIS WHICH IS PARALLEL TO SAID SECOND AXIS AND, WITH SAID BENCH MEMBERS IN THEIR HORIZONTAL POSITIONS, LIES IN A COMMON HORIZONTAL PLANE THEREWITH, SAID FOUR AXES BEING SO POSITIONED THAT SAID BENCH AND TABLE MEMBERS ARE MOVABLE IN UNISON BETWEEN SAID HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL POSITIONS, THE SURFACES OF SAID BENCH AND TABLE MEMBERS WHICH ARE UPPER SURFACES WHEN IN SAID HORIZONTAL POSITION BEING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY COPLANAR WHEN SAID BENCH AND TABLE MEMBERS ARE IN SAID VERTICAL POSITION. 